mi scan thus guide

8/4/2019 Mi Scan Thus Guide

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Planting and Growing Miscanthus

Best Practice Guidelines July 2007

For Applicants to Defras Energy Crops Scheme


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Contents

1. GLOSSARY OF TERMS 2. INTRODUCTION 3. WHY GROW CROPS FOR ENERGY 4. ALTERNATIVE END USES FOR MISCANTHUS 5. WHAT IS MISCANTHUS 6. ANNUAL GROWING CYCLE 7. WHERE TO GROW MISCANTHUS

8. PLANTING 9. GENERAL MANAGEMENT 10. HARVESTING 11. CALENDAR OF ACTIVITY 12. YIELD 13. ENERGY VALUE 14. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS 15. CONTACTS


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1. Glossary of terms

Defra Department for Environment Food and Rural AffairsDTI Department of Trade and IndustryECS Energy Crop SchemeERDP England Rural Development Programmeha Hectarekg KilogramMJ Mega-joule (one thousand joules)MW Mega-wattMWe Mega-watt electrical capacityNFFO Non-Fossil Fuel ObligationRhizome Modified underground stem used for crop propagationodt Oven dry tonneSoil Diffusepollution

A pollution event from a series of non point sourcepollution events over a catchment area. Examples aresheet run off from fields or seepage of nutrients fromsoil into ground water.

2. Introduction

This booklet is designed to introduce farmers to the energy crop miscanthusand is intended to offer guidance for planting which takes place foragreements under the ERDP 2000 - 2006. Although this scheme has now

closed, planting may take place after 2006 as part of a staged establishment ifthis was agreed in your original offer letter. It gives guidance on the mostappropriate location, land preparation, planting techniques and cropmanagement required to grow miscanthus as a crop destined for energy use(or for other uses). The booklet summarises ongoing current research andbest commercial practice. This is the second version, and will be furtherupdated as greater experience is gained, so it is advised that you check thatyou have the latest version of the booklet. This booklet should be read inassociation with the Energy Crop Scheme Explanatory Booklet. For furthercopies and latest updates, please visit our website at:www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energy 3. Why grow energy crops?

The market for energy crops - crops which are grown specifically to beharvested and burnt in power stations, combined heat and power (CHP) unitsor heating systems - is increasing. This is in response to a number of powerand heat projects developed and developing across England which utilisebiomass, including energy crops. One such crop is miscanthus. Defra andthe Government as a whole are keen to encourage sustainable andresponsible growth in the energy crop market in response to the need foratmospheric carbon dioxide (CO

2) abatement. Government targets,
http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energyhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energy


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aspirations and long-term energy policy were contained in the Energy WhitePaper published in 2003.

Alongside wind and other forms of renewable energy the UK Governmentidentifies biomass-derived energy as one of the ways that it can achieve its

obligations to the Kyoto Climate Change Protocol of reducing greenhouse gasemissions by 12.5% relative to 1990 levels. In addition the Government hascommitted to curbing UK CO 2 levels by 20% by 2010 and by 60% by 2050.The UK has a domestic target to generate 10% of the nations electricity fromrenewables by 2010, rising to 20% by 2020. These targets could mean thegeneration of 1,000 MWe from renewable energy sources by the year 2010,with a significant amount coming from biomass derived power plants.Biomass can also be burnt to produce heat, at a range of industrial ordomestic scales.

Miscanthus can be used to produce heat, CHP or electricity power on a rangeof scales from large power stations (30 MW+) requiring hundreds ofthousands of tonnes of biomass annually, to small-scale systems (on-farm orsingle building) requiring just a few dozen tonnes during winter months.Advice on grants for capital expenditure on biomass systems is obtainablefrom a range of sources listed at the back of this booklet.

Grants to assist in the establishment of this crop have been available fromDefra under the Energy Crops Scheme (ECS), part of the England RuralDevelopment Programme (ERDP). A second round of Energy Crops Schemeestablishment grants for 2007-2013 has been announced and is expected toopen in late summer 2007. A second Bioenergy infrastructure StructureScheme Grant was announced in the 2006 Climate Change Review. The aimof the grant will be to facilitate the development of the supply chain required toharvest, store, process and supply biomass to heat, combined heat andpower and electricity end users. Details will be available on the Defra websiteat http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/crops/industrial/energy/infrastructure.htm when the scheme becomes live.

Full details of the grant schemes can be found in the ECS bookletsEstablishment grants for short rotation coppice and miscanthus atwww.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energy .

4. Alternative end uses

Other markets for miscanthus exist apart from that for the energy market.Other end-uses include high value equine bedding and sustainable compositematerials for markets such as the production of biodegradable plastics andfibres for car parts. New markets continue to develop and it is possible that inthe future transport fuels such as ethanol and even hydrogen may beproduced from biomass crops such as miscanthus . To explore furthermarkets it is worth visiting The National Non Food Crops Centrewww.nnfcc.co.uk .
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/crops/industrial/energy/infrastructure.htmhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energyhttp://www.nnfcc.co.uk/http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energyhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/crops/industrial/energy/infrastructure.htm


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5. What is miscanthus?

Miscanthus species are woody, perennial, rhizomatous grasses, originatingfrom Asia which have the potential for very high rates of growth. Miscanthusmay be familiar to many as a flowering garden ornamental, but it is the sterile,hybrid forms that are of value agriculturally.

Miscanthus growing in the UK

Miscanthus is planted in spring and once planted can remain in the ground forat least fifteen to twenty years. First year growth is insufficient to beeconomically worth harvesting. New shoots emerge around March each year,growing rapidly in June-July, producing bamboo-like canes. The miscanthusdies back in the autumn/winter, the leaves fall off, providing nutrients for thesoil, and the canes are harvested in winter or early spring.

This growth pattern is repeated every year for the lifetime of the crop, and theannual harvest gives an annual income to the farmer.

Miscanthus spreads naturally by means of underground storage organsknown as rhizomes. However, their spread is slow and there is little risk ofuncontrolled invasion of hedges or fields. These rhizomes can be split andthe pieces re-planted to produce new plants. All propagation, maintenanceand harvest operations can be done with conventional farm machinery , butdedicated miscanthus planters produce the most even establishment. Semi-automatic potato planters can also give excellent results.

In the UK, long-term average harvestable yields from a mature crop (i.e.

excluding the first 3 years see section on yield), have exceeded 16 oven drytonnes per hectare per year (odt/ha/yr) at the most productive experimental


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sites. These high yields suggest that the crop has the potential to make animportant contribution to the UKs commitments to energy generation fromrenewable sources since 22,000 tonnes of miscanthus can provide enoughelectricity to power 2,000 homes.

6. Annual growing cycleThe growth pattern of the crop is simple. It produces new shoots annuallyand these usually emerge from the soil during March. These shoots developinto erect, robust stems, which reach 1 - 2 m in height by late August of theyear of planting, with a diameter of 10 mm. The stems, which have anappearance similar to bamboo canes, are usually unbranched and contain asolid pith.

Annual growing cycle

From late July the lower leaves start to dry. Crop drying accelerates duringautumn, as nutrients move back to the rhizome. Leaves then fall and a deepleaf litter develops. Most remaining foliage dies following the first air frost,and the stems dry to a relatively low moisture content (30 - 50%) duringwinter. By February, free standing, almost leafless, canes remain and it isthese which are harvested mechanically, when their moisture contents haveoften fallen significantly. This growth cycle is repeated once spring-time


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temperatures increase again. From the second season onwards the crop canbe expected to achieve a maximum height of 2.5 - 3.5 m.

7. Where to grow miscanthus?

Crop requirements

ClimateMiscanthus yields have been modelled in England since the 1990s. Keydeterminants of yield are sunshine, temperature and water availability.Annual variability in these factors result in annual yield variations. For anyparticular site micro-climatic conditions such as aspect will also affect annualyield. Harvestable yields in England vary on average between about 12 t/ha toaround 16 t/ha.

SoilsMiscanthus has been reported growing, and producing high or reasonableyields on a range of soils, from sands to high organic matter soils. It is alsotolerant of a wide range of pH, but the optimum is between pH 5.5 and 7.5.Miscanthus is harvested in the early spring. The fallen leaf material and therhizome mat below the soil surface provide very stable ground conditions forharvesting. Soil diffuse pollution should be controlled by ensuring soils retaingood structure and compaction is minimised. Further guidance can be foundin Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management.

Temperature

The potential cropping zones for miscanthus are widespread. Miscanthusdoes not grow at temperatures below a threshold of 6 oC. This is considerablylower than for maize and therefore the potential growing season is longer.Late spring frosts which destroy early spring foliage and effectively reduce theduration of the growing season are the major constraint to long seasongrowth.

Water availabilityAnnual rainfall and soil water retention will strongly influence the yield ofmiscanthus at any site. Miscanthus possesses good water use efficiencywhen considered on the basis of the amount of water required per unit ofbiomass and miscanthus roots can penetrate and extract water to a depth ofaround 2m. However, to achieve high yields miscanthus may need morewater than the crops that it may replace. In addition, a dense canopy meansthat 20-30 % of rainfall is intercepted by, and evaporates off, the leaves andnever reaches and infiltrates into the soil. Limited soil water availability duringa growing season will prevent the crop from reaching full potential yield in thatyear; a loss of 90 kg of biomass per ha for each millimetre of soil waterdeficiency has been calculated. Irrigation is not justified due to the cost andthe current value of the biomass obtained. In times of severe drought, thefoliage of miscanthus will first show leaf rolling and then die back from the leaftip. This will reduce yield in the year of drought but in all cases experienced inthe UK to date the crop will survive and re-grow the following year.


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Site selectionA site must meet the requirements of the ECS which can be found in Section1 of the Establishment Grants ECS booklet. Applications for the ECS must belinked to an energy end use (either on or off-farm) that is within reasonabledistance of the crop.

The Forestry Commission will visit the site to assess how the crop will:

Appear in the landscape: Since the miscanthus will exist on the site for atleast 15 to 20 years and can reach up to 3.5m in height, its impact on the locallandscape (particularly if the site is close to a footpath) or an adjacentlandowner needs to be considered.

Affect any existing semi-natural habitats : Care must be taken to preventplantations from adversely affecting existing conservation areas or species ofconservation concern in the area. These issues are discussed in more detailin the environmental considerations section of this booklet.

Affect any archaeological features : Deep fibrous roots may damage suchfeatures, and sensitive areas should be avoided, or included in the openground allowance.

Some eligible land for the ECS can remain uncropped with miscanthus, andcan help accommodate landscape and access issues, with no impact on theamount of grant awarded and including any phased planting under thatagreement. Where appropriate open ground can be positioned alongside

neighbouring houses to protect their view. Including uncropped open groundwithout loss of grant means that headlands, Public Rights of Way andArchaeological features can be safeguarded. Eligible open ground areasinclude:

Working margins (>3 metres to allow for machinery to turn) Rides (4 to 6 metres wide usually every 500 metres) Archaeological sites Hedge buffer strips (>3 metres wide) Semi-natural habitats Water sides (3 to 20 metre buffer depending on the water course) Public Rights of Way (must be kept clear: > 5 metres wide) Land adjacent to neighbouring land where views may be compromised

(at least 10 metres) Way leaves: 5-6m strip beneath power lines may be treated as open

ground

8. Planting

Pre-planting requirementsThorough site preparation is essential for good establishment, ease ofsubsequent crop management and high yields. As the crop has the potential


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to be in the ground for at least 15 years, it is important that it is establishedcorrectly to avoid future problems.

The first step, in the autumn before planting, is to spray the site with anappropriate broad spectrum herbicide (e.g. glyphosate) for controlling

perennial weeds. On some sites it may be necessary to sub-soil to removecompaction, then plough and left to over-winter. This will allow frost activity tobreak down the soil further. This may also help prevent ley pests such asthe larvae of two moths; the common rustic moth and the ghost mothattacking the newly established plants, as any larvae or eggs already in thesoil from the previous crop will have insufficient food over the winter tosurvive. On light soils it may be more appropriate to spring plough.

In the following spring the site should be cultivated immediately prior toplanting. This will improve soil aeration and establishment by aiding good rootdevelopment. Rolling, post planting, will also improve soil root contact and theeffectiveness of any residual herbicides applied.

Planting materialUsing high quality cutting material is essential to obtaining goodestablishment. Rhizomes should be purchased from dedicated nursery fieldsof miscanthus, and be of a young age class, and not taken from old canecrops. Sensitive handling and transport of the rhizomes prior to planting isalso essential to ensure viability. For plant health reasons, miscanthusrhizomes should only be sourced from European countries.

Methods of propagationThe main method of propagation currently used in the UK is rhizome division,although micro-propagation is another method that could be used.

Rhizome division is favoured because it is less expensive and generallyproduces more vigorous plants. To produce new planting material, two orthree-year-old plants are split whilst dormant, using a rotary cultivator, and therhizome pieces collected for re-planting.


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Miscanthus rhizomes Micro-propagated miscanthus

Rhizome pieces must have at least 2 to 3 buds and must be kept moistbefore re-planting. This is best achieved by keeping rhizomes under cold-storage conditions (


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Planting densityRhizomes need to be planted to allow for some expansion of the plant duringthe life of the crop and at a soil depth of 5-10 cm. Planting densities vary from10,000 to 15,000 or more rhizomes per hectare, and it is best to seek advicefrom your supplier or contractor as to the appropriate density for your fields.

The initial planting density allows for some establishment losses while stillproviding the plant density of approximately 10,000 /ha - required to achieveoptimal yields from year three onwards and effective weed suppressionthrough competition.

The optimal planting time for rhizomes is from March to April and this isstrongly recommended as early planting takes advantage of spring-time soilmoisture and allows an extended first season of growth. This is important,because it enables larger rhizome systems to develop. These are morerobust in future years, and allows the crop to tolerate drought and frost better.Planting can continue into May and even early June, but is not encouraged assoil moisture will be lower, and the planting operation could result in thedestruction of nests of ground nesting birds if any are present.

Planting equipment There have been significant developments in miscanthus planting technologyin the past few years. Previously, broadcast planting using a manurespreader followed by cultivation and rolling was general practice. While thismethod produces a fast work rate, it is not recommended because of theunpredictability of plant spacing and low establishment rates sometimesassociated with it. Therefore, use of a bespoke planter is recommended,although a potato planter can be used, and the rhizomes may need to begraded. More detail is given below - work rates reported are averages and will

vary according to site conditions.

Specialist miscanthus planters : Several types of automatic two and fourrow planters have been developed in theUK, and are in commercial use. Thesecan establish crops at between 10 20ha per day, and planting density can be

controlled. Generally these planters canachieve greater establishment successthan potato planters, and are available foruse from several UK companies. Forfurther information on specific designs,refer to the contact details provided at theback of the booklet.

Modular potato planter: For rhizomesdestined for use in a manually fed potatoplanter, grading is required to remove

rhizomes which will not pass down the


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planting tube or have less than 2-3 buds . The work rate achieved is low (0.3ha day) but might still be suitable for planting small areas.

9. General crop management

Fertiliser requirement

The annual fertiliser demands of the crop are very low , due to goodnutrient use efficiency and the plants ability to re-cycle large amounts ofnutrients into the rhizomes during the latter part of the growing season. As aconsequence, nutrient off-take at harvest is low. Since the leavespredominately remain in the field it is only necessary to account for theamount of nutrients removed in the stems. The nutrient requirements duringthe following seasons are met by leaf litter decomposition, natural soil nutrientreserves, rhizome reserves and atmospheric depositions. Mature rhizomestend to store more nutrients than the crop needs, so after the first 2 years,only a small quantity of additional micro-nutrients may be required. For goodmiscanthus yields a minimum phosphorus and potassium soil index of 1should be aimed for. Nitrogen may also be applied. However, it is worthnoting that over 13 years of field research on miscanthus at RothamstedResearch in the East of England has revealed no yield response to nitrogen.

When nutrients are needed in the first 2 seasons, these can be supplied fromfarm-yard manure, sewage sludge or other organic manure with a lowavailable nitrogen content. This is of particular benefit on light soils where itwill increase moisture retention and improve the condition of the soil. The

DEFRA Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Water (1998)should be followed and where appropriate Nitrate Vulnerable ZoneRegulations and The Sludge Use in Agriculture Regulations must be adheredto when applying organic manures. The reference section lists where to obtainthese documents from.

Weed control

Weeds compete with the crop for light, water and nutrients and can reduceyields. A wide range of herbicides have been used effectively to controlweeds - with no visible damage to the crop. Suppliers of miscanthuspropagation material are able to supply recommendations for safe andeffective weed control.

Weed control in the establishment phase of the crop is essential, becausepoor control can severely check the development of the crop. It is vital thatproposed sites should be cleared of perennial weeds before anyplanting takes place.

Following the establishment year, a spring application of a broad-spectrumherbicide may be needed to control grass weeds such as common couch andannual meadow-grass and broad-leaved weeds with early season vigour.


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Timing this application for the dormant period between harvest andinitiation of spring growth is crucial - and extreme caution is needed asit will cause severe damage to any new shoots which might haveemerged.

Once the crop is mature (i.e. from the summer of the second or thirdyear, depending on site and climate), weed interference is effectivelysuppressed, initially by the leaf litter layer on the soil surface andsubsequently by the closure of the crop canopy, which reduces the lightpenetrating into the under-storey. Weeds that do survive offer littlecompetition to the crop.

Defras Pesticides Safety Directorate has given off-label approval forherbicides used for cereals, grass and maize to be used on miscanthu s. Visit: http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/psd . Since there are no label recommendations,all products are used at the users own risk. Herbicide application must not bemade on miscanthus crops greater than one metre in height and the cropcannot subsequently be used for food or feed.

Pests and diseases

Miscanthus species are susceptible to pests and diseases in the areas towhich they are native (Asia) but, as yet, none of these has been reported inthe UK. Stem basal diseases may infect stems in the autumn or winter,reducing stem strength. There are no reported insect pests in Europe thathave significantly affected the production of miscanthus. However, two ley

pests, the common rustic moth and ghost moth larvae feed on miscanthusand may cause problems in the future:

The common rustic mothThe larvae feed from autumn until May on miscanthus grass roots and othergrasses including cocks-foot. The larvae can also damage young miscanthusshoots in the spring. These larvae overwinter before becoming adults,concealed in ground vegetation by day, becoming active after dark. They areparticularly attracted to flowers of the common ragwort and marsh grasses.

The ghost moth

Ghost moth larvae are subterranean and rarely seen, feeding on roots andrhizomes of miscanthus and other grasses. It takes two years to develop intoa moth, thereby over-wintering twice. Ghost moth adults are often found ingrassy embankments, fields and hillsides. The males can often be in flight at dusk on warm evenings amongst tall grassy vegetation.

10. Harvesting

The annual harvest of the stem material is possible from late February untilearly May, with the later harvest giving the driest stems. For energy cropping,a dry, baled product is the most desirable. However, care should be taken notto disturb nesting birds when harvesting.The crop is first cut with a forage harvester into a swath.
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/psdhttp://www.pesticides.gov.uk/psd


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Then the crop is baled. There are a number of different types of balers, eachproducing different bales (e.g. rectangular, round and compact rolls), suitablefor different scales of energy combustion. Large rectangular and round balersare capable of producing bales with a dry matter density of between 120 and

160 kg/m3

and weighing between 250 and 600 kg. These balers generallyhave a capacity of 1 ha/hr.

Miscanthus beingbaled

Miscanthus baler

A critical factor for an energy crop is the moisture content at harvest. Thedrier the crop, the higher the energy yield and bale value. Moisture contentsas low as 15% have been obtained in the UK, with the maximum being about40%. By conditioning and allowing to dry in the field in windrows, the stemmoisture content can be halved.

Storage

The storage of miscanthus bales should follow the same rules as the handlingand stacking of any bales produced in agriculture. For more details refer toHandling and Stacking Bales in Agriculture by Health and Safety Executive

(details of where to obtain this can be found in the reference section). Thecorrect siting of the bale stack is important to reduce the Health and Safetyrisk and to ensure good fuel supply logistics. Thus stacks should be sited;

Away from public roads and footpaths to reduce the risk of fire fromdiscarded cigarette ends,

Away from overhead power lines, Well away from residential properties and where several stacks are

sited together they should be built in a line across the prevailing windand not less than 24 meters apart.

All stacks must not be higher than 1.5 times the shortest baselinemeasurement. Bales should be stacked on the unstrung sides and overlapbale layers must be included at regularly intervals, as well as binding in thevertical columns.

Covering the bales will limit degradation and biomass losses, and keep thefuel dry. Covering can be either plastic sheeting, or bale stack sheets(available from good agricultural suppliers) which are stronger and easy tosecure using the attached guy ropes.


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11. Calendar of activity

Year Period Activity

Jan - Jun Consider site selection and liaise with neigh

archaeologists, etc. Prepare evidence of market for miscanthus Prepare and submit Defra Establishment Grant applicati

P REPLANTING -1

Aug Nov Herbicide application for control of perennial weeds Add phosphate (P) and potassium (K) fertiliser but

ploughed in] Plough

Jan Apr Spring plough on light soils. Planting 1

Apr May Apply additional nutrients but only if required Herbicide application while crop height below 1m

ESTABLISHMENT

Feb Mar First year growth not usually harvested

2

Apr May Apply additional nutrients e.g. nitrogen (N), but only if Herbicide application while crop height below 1m

Feb Mar

Harvest previous years growth with forage harvest Bale and stack

CROPPING

3+

Apr May Monitor crop nutrient and apply nutrients if required


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12. Yield

Yields will vary according to age of the crop and environmental factors specificto any one particular site. The crop will take three years to reach a matureyield (up to five years on marginal sites). After this initial yield-building phase,the crop will continue to be productive for many years (at least 15 years).

Yield as plants matureThe yield from the first seasons growth, at 1-2 t/ha, is not worth harvesting.The stems do not need to be cut and so may be left in the field until thefollowing season. However, if spring-time applications of translocatedherbicides are planned then the miscanthus stems should be cut-back in orderto reduce any risk of crop uptake. From the second year onwards the cropcould be harvested annually, if sufficient yield.

The second year harvestable yields may range usually from 4-10 t/ha andthose in the third year would be between 10 -13 t/ha or more. Harvestable

yields reach a plateau after 3-5 years usually on average reaching from 12 to16 t/ha. The reasons for the variation in the yield building phase duration andyield in the plateau phase depends on planting density, soil type and climate.At sites where moisture supply or exposure limits yield, there may be a longeryield-building phase.

Long term yieldSites to be approached with some caution are upland (over 300 m) and sandysoils, where yields could potentially be lower (although this may not always bethe case). Your rhizome supplier should be able to advise on the suitability ofan individual site in terms of potential yield production. The overall economicviability of the crop will depend on the type and proximity of the end-use.

Removal of miscanthus

Miscanthus can easily be removed from an existing site by the application of apost-emergence non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate, followed bynormal cultivation such as ploughing. Continuous mowing can be used as analternative to using a non-selective herbicide to kill the miscanthus (thisexhausts the rhizome).

13. Energy value

Miscanthus has a net calorific value, on a dry basis, of 17 MJ/kg. The energyvalue of 20 t of dry miscanthus would be equivalent to that of 8 t of coal.Growing miscanthus as a fuel is very energy efficient.

Miscanthus can be used for a range of end-uses - from co-firing in coalpower stations, to large-scale electricity power stations and for small scaleheat production. Existing straw burning technology can be used to meet on-farm heat requirements.


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Drax Power Station in Selby, North Yorkshire where substantial quantities of miscanthus arecontracted with local farmers for co-firing

14. Environmental considerations

Several completed studies and on-going research have demonstrated thatcompared to arable or intensive grass which miscanthus is most likely toreplace, the impact is likely to be benign.

Low input:Compared to arable crops, miscanthus has a very low agro-chemical

requirement. Use of pesticides other than herbicides and chemical fertilisersare not recommended. As the site is only cultivated once, at establishment,reductions in soil disturbance and erosion can also be achieved comparedwith conventional arable crops .

Carbon savings:Miscanthus takes up as much carbon as is released when it is burnt so thereis no net increase in CO 2 into the atmosphere. Some additional carbon issequestered in the soil from root and rhizome growth. Carbon budgets whichinclude the use of fossil fuels in the transportation of materials indicate thatthe entire cycle releases less carbon than when compared with fossil fuelcombustion cycles. Miscanthus should be grown close to its end use toreduce energy use which would result from shipping this bulky material largedistances.

Landscape:Care should be taken when choosing a site to plant miscanthus asdiscussed in the site selection section. Careful siting of open ground canminimise impacts, for example having open ground at field margins adjoiningneighbours land.

Biodiversity :Research in the UK on the impacts of miscanthus on biodiversity is ongoing.Research completed so far has shown that it can enhance biodiversity for a


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range of wildlife including for certain reed nesting birds, earthworms, spidersand mammals compared with growing winter-sown cereals 1 ,2 .

Cover for wildlife Miscanthus provides cover for most of the year because, although the crop isharvested annually, it is harvested shortly before the following years growth

begins. This cover can act as a wildlife corridor linking existing habitats suchas crop margins, woodlands and hedgerows. For example, miscanthus isgrown on several shooting estates for its value as a game cover crop andnursery for young pheasants and partridges.

A recent study showed there to be an immediate benefit to biodiversity due toproviding an over winter site for birds, small mammal and invertebrates 3 .

However, this work has been carried out on young miscanthus plantations.Work on mature well established miscanthus plantations has yet to becompleted which we hope will give us a clearer picture of the impacts ofmiscanthus on biodiversity.

Game cover:

Nest of reed warbler in miscanthus

1 Jodl, S, Eppel-Htz A and Marzini K (1998) Examination of the ecological value of Miscanthus expanses - faunisticstudies. In: biomass for Energy and Industry; Proc 10th EU Bioenergy Conference, Wuzburg, Germany CarmenPublishers, Rimpar, Germany pp 48-53.2 Christian D G, Bullard M J and Wilkins C (1997) The agronomy of some herbaceous crops grown for energy inSouthern England. Aspects of Applied Biology. 49 Biomass and Energy Crops pp41-51.3 The effects of energy grass plantations on biodiversity. DTI Report: CFP 374/22


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15. Contacts

For more information on the Energy Crops Scheme, contact your localNatural England office. To find the address and telephone number visithttp://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/regions/default.htm

Policy for Energy Crops SchemeDEFRACrops for Energy BranchArea 4bNobel House17 Smiths SquareLondon SW1P 3JRTel 020 7238 6307Visit www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energy for information on the EnergyCrops Scheme.

Suppliers of planting material, equipment and advice. ADAS Renewable Energy www.adas.co.uk , 01354 692531 BICAL www.bical.co.uk , 01884 35899 John Amos & Co: www.johnamos.co.uk , 01584 831134

Contacts for advice Biomass Energy Centre

www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk Department for Trade and Industry (DTI):

www.dti.uk/energy/renewables/support The Carbon Trust: www.thecarbontrust.co.uk The National Non Food Crops Centre www.nnfcc.co.uk Rothamsted Research: www.rothamsted.ac.uk The Game Conservancy Trust: www.gct.org.uk/ Community Renewables Initiative:

www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/Landscape/CRI/Index.asp Renewables East: www.renewableseast.org.uk RegenSW www.regensw.co.uk/ Renewable Energy Association www.r-p-a.org.uk

Useful Publications HSE Booklet: Handling and Stacking Bales in Agriculture (INDG125

rev1) visit: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns The DEFRA Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of

Water (1998) www.defra.gov.uk/environ/cogap/watercod.pdf Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Regulations

www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/quality/nitrate The Sludge Use in Agriculture Regulations Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management.

www.defra.gov.uk/environment/land/soil/publications.htm#spsguidance
http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/regions/default.htmhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energyhttp://www.miscanthus4energy.com/http://www.bical.co.uk/http://www.johnamos.co.uk/http://www.dti.uk/energy/renewables/supporthttp://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/http://www.gct.org.uk/http://www.renewableseast.org.uk/http://www.renewableseast.org.uk/http://www.regensw.co.uk/http://www.r-p-a.org.uk/http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubnshttp://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/land/soil/publications.htm#spsguidancehttp://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/land/soil/publications.htm#spsguidancehttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubnshttp://www.r-p-a.org.uk/http://www.regensw.co.uk/http://www.renewableseast.org.uk/http://www.gct.org.uk/http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/http://www.dti.uk/energy/renewables/supporthttp://www.johnamos.co.uk/http://www.bical.co.uk/http://www.miscanthus4energy.com/http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/energyhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/regions/default.htm

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